Friday, November 11, 2011

Major real estate development on edge of Grand Canyon park

The debate over uranium mining in northern Arizona has been getting most of the attention but a major real estate development on the edge of Grand Canyon National Park just got approval from the town of Tusayan over objections of the Park and others. Stilo Group, an Italian developer, owns most of the private lands in the area. Their plans include:

The 65 Ha Kotzin Ranch property is planned for a mix of various residential (single-family, apartments, condominiums and manufactured housing, etc.), commercial (retail, service, a recreational vehicle park, visitor services, etc.) and community development (houses of worship, government services, etc.).

The 78 Ha TenX Ranch, located just east of Tusayan, is planned for a wide range of visitor services that will include lodging, a retail village, an Insight educational campus, a Native American Cultural Center, a dude ranch and spa and vacation residential uses.

Tusayan is only about 58 Ha, so the new developments would nearly quadruple that.

A recent city council hearing on the proposal was contentious. The Grand Canyon News says

Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent David Uberuaga addressed the Council and said the plan, which is also opposed by the Sierra Club, and the Havasupai Tribal Council, could place a great burden on the park.

"Resources in this area are in greatest jeopardy from depletions and contamination to ground water, seeps, and springs, as well as alterations to cave and kart features," he said. "Not only are these resources the life blood of the communities, but to our native plant and wildlife as well."